Balkan water frog, Pelophylax kurtmuelleri<\/em>, Gayda<\/h6>\nT<\/big>he Balkan water frog has only recently been separated from the Marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus)<\/em> as a distinct species. The frog genera Rana<\/em> and Pelophylax<\/em> are still highly controversial in terms of their systematics, and there are differing views on what should count as a genus and what should count as a species. Many species hybridise extensively with each other, with populations in many areas consisting solely of hybrids that can reproduce without any problems.<\/p>\n![\"Balkan](\"https:\/\/azalas.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/photos\/naxos\/fauna\/amphibia\/pelophylax_kurtmuelleri-5.jpg\")
\nThe Balkan water frog is common along the watercourses of Naxos.<\/small><\/p>\n
![\"Balkan](\"https:\/\/azalas.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/photos\/naxos\/fauna\/amphibia\/pelophylax_kurtmuelleri-2.jpg\")
\nWater frogs have quite variable colouring; in our region, they are brownish in colour and have more or less pronounced spots.<\/small><\/p>\n
![\"Balkan](\"http:\/\/azalas.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/photos\/naxos\/fauna\/amphibia\/pelophylax_kurtmuelleri-3.jpg\")
\nThe skin of amphibians is soft, moist and often glandular. A considerable proportion of the animals’ respiration takes place through the skin.<\/small> <\/p>\n
![\"Balkan](\"http:\/\/azalas.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/photos\/naxos\/fauna\/amphibia\/pelophylax_kurtmuelleri-1.jpg\")
\nThe water frog is only found in close proximity to the water.<\/small><\/p>\n
![\"Balkan](\"https:\/\/azalas.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/photos\/naxos\/fauna\/amphibia\/pelophylax_kurtmuelleri_tadpole-1.jpg\")
\nTadpoles in a small pool<\/small><\/p>\nEuropean green toad, Bufotes viridis<\/em>, Pallas<\/h6>\nI<\/big>n my first years on Naxos, we regularly encountered Green toads in our garden; later, probably because of several dry years, they disappeared completely, and it was not until 2020, after an extremely rainy year, that a Green toad reappeared in our garden<\/a>; the following year many toads could be found in the whole area, and now, several years later, we still encounter them, despite very little rainfall in the last two winters.<\/p>\nL<\/big>ike all amphibians, Green toads need water to reproduce, but they get along with small rivulets or ponds that dry up in summer. Adult animals do not need water and prefer dry habitats.<\/p>\n
T<\/big>he classification of the Greek green toad has been changed several times, with the populations found in the Balkans sometimes being separated as Bufotes variabilis<\/em>, or considered to be hybrid populations between B. viridis<\/em> and B. sitibundus<\/em>, which occurs in Asia Minor to Iran. According to recent studies, the Greek toads are once again considered to belong to the widespread European species B. viridis<\/em>. The status of the Green toads found on the Aegean islands has yet to be clarified.<\/p>\n![\"Green](\"https:\/\/azalas.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/photos\/naxos\/fauna\/amphibia\/bufotes_variabilis-1.jpg\")
\nThe Green toad is nocturnal and lives in rather dry habitats. It is grey in colour with well-defined green spots on its body and legs. Photo by Dieter Linde<\/small><\/p>\n
![\"European](\"https:\/\/azalas.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/photos\/naxos\/fauna\/amphibia\/bufotes_variabilis-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
I<\/big>n recent years, we also regularly encounter young specimens of the Green toads in our garden, which apparently wander here from the river mouth about 1 km away, where some water remains until summer. The toads feel particularly at home in our cucumber patch, which is watered every day. They were active during most of the mild winter of 2023\/24, while two winters earlier we found a large, fat toad about 15 cm deep in the ground when we were digging a hole for a post (fortunately, the toad came away unharmed).<\/p>\n
![\"European](\"https:\/\/azalas.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/photos\/naxos\/fauna\/amphibia\/bufotes_variabilis-4.jpg\")
\nYoung Green toad in our garden<\/small><\/p>\n
To the Photo gallery<\/a><\/p>\ncontinue: Turtles, geckos and lizards<\/a><\/p>\nback: The Fauna of Naxos<\/a><\/p>\n
\nThe Balkan water frog is common along the watercourses of Naxos.<\/small><\/p>\n
\nWater frogs have quite variable colouring; in our region, they are brownish in colour and have more or less pronounced spots.<\/small><\/p>\n
\nThe skin of amphibians is soft, moist and often glandular. A considerable proportion of the animals’ respiration takes place through the skin.<\/small> <\/p>\n
\nThe water frog is only found in close proximity to the water.<\/small><\/p>\n
I<\/big>n my first years on Naxos, we regularly encountered Green toads in our garden; later, probably because of several dry years, they disappeared completely, and it was not until 2020, after an extremely rainy year, that a Green toad reappeared in our garden<\/a>; the following year many toads could be found in the whole area, and now, several years later, we still encounter them, despite very little rainfall in the last two winters.<\/p>\n L<\/big>ike all amphibians, Green toads need water to reproduce, but they get along with small rivulets or ponds that dry up in summer. Adult animals do not need water and prefer dry habitats.<\/p>\n T<\/big>he classification of the Greek green toad has been changed several times, with the populations found in the Balkans sometimes being separated as Bufotes variabilis<\/em>, or considered to be hybrid populations between B. viridis<\/em> and B. sitibundus<\/em>, which occurs in Asia Minor to Iran. According to recent studies, the Greek toads are once again considered to belong to the widespread European species B. viridis<\/em>. The status of the Green toads found on the Aegean islands has yet to be clarified.<\/p>\n I<\/big>n recent years, we also regularly encounter young specimens of the Green toads in our garden, which apparently wander here from the river mouth about 1 km away, where some water remains until summer. The toads feel particularly at home in our cucumber patch, which is watered every day. They were active during most of the mild winter of 2023\/24, while two winters earlier we found a large, fat toad about 15 cm deep in the ground when we were digging a hole for a post (fortunately, the toad came away unharmed).<\/p>\n To the Photo gallery<\/a><\/p>\n continue: Turtles, geckos and lizards<\/a><\/p>\n back: The Fauna of Naxos<\/a><\/p>\n
\nTadpoles in a small pool<\/small><\/p>\nEuropean green toad, Bufotes viridis<\/em>, Pallas<\/h6>\n
\nThe Green toad is nocturnal and lives in rather dry habitats. It is grey in colour with well-defined green spots on its body and legs. Photo by Dieter Linde<\/small><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nYoung Green toad in our garden<\/small><\/p>\n